Drawing instruments



May 18, 1965 'r. BOWEN DRAWING INSTRUMENTS 2 Sheets$heet 1 Filed March 28, 1963 Inventor:

y 1965 v T. B DWEN 3,183,593

I DRAWING INSTRUMENTS Filed March 28, 1965 sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Tm 360W Attorneys M, m. v Back United States Patent 3,183,593 DRAWING INSTRUMENTS Tom Bowen, Hove, England, assignor to S. Smith & Sons (England) Limited, London, England Filed Mar. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 268,812 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Mar. 28, 1962, 11,974/ 62 8 Claims. (Cl. 33-27) This invention relates to drawing instruments for the drawing of decorative patterns.

. According to this invention there is provided a drawing instrument for the drawing of decorative patterns comprising a supporting member adapted to be held in a fixed position on a plane surface on which a pattern is to be drawn, a first member mounted on the supporting member so as to be manually rotatable about a first axis which is fixed in relation to the supporting member and perpendicular to the said surface, a second member mounted on the first member for rotation about a second axis displaced from but parallel to the first axis and fixed in relation tothe first member, a third member mounted on the second member for rotation about a third axis displaced from but parallel to the second axis, first driving means causing the second member to rotate about the second axis as the first member is rotated, second driving means causing the third member to rotate about the third axis as the second member is rotated, the said third member being adapted to carry a drawing implement so that the drawing implement engages the said surface away from the third axis as the first, second and third members rotate about their respective axes.

By a drawing implement is meant any implement for making an impression or mark on the said surface.

Preferably the implement is a stylus adapted to engage a sheet of carbon paper placed between the instrument and the said surface so that its active face engages the surface, movement of the stylus being recorded thereby on the surface.

Preferably the displacement of the stylus from the third axis is settable.

' Preferably the second member is such that the displacement of the third axis from the second axis is settable.

Preferably the stylus may also be carried by the second member so that its displacement from the second axis is settable.

. Preferably the first member carries a handle by which it may be manually rotated.

Preferably the first and second members rotate in the same direction and the third member rotates in the opposite direction.

Preferably the second member carries out a fraction more than a complete turn for each complete turn of the first member.

Preferably the third member carries out four complete turns for each complete turn of the second member.

Preferably the drawing instrument also comprises a fourth member mounted on the second member for rotation about a fourth axis displaced from but parallel to the second axis and fixed in relation to the second member and third driving means causing the fourth member to rotate about the fourth axis as the second member is rotated, the fourth member being adapted to carry a drawing implement so that the drawing implement engages the said surface away from the fourth axis as the first, second and fourth members rotate about their respective axes.

The third driving means may conveniently form part ofthe second driving means.

Preferably the first, second and fourth members rotate in the same direction.

Preferably the fourth member carries out two complete turns for each complete turn of the second member.

A drawing instrument in accordance with this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the instrument.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of part of the instrument.

FIGURE 3 is a view in the direction of the arrow III in FIGURE 12.

A shallow cup shaped supporting member 1 has a flange 2 which is intended to be placed in contact with a plane surface on which the instrument is to operate. The base 7 of the member 1 is inscribed with radial lines 32 and markings 33 and is perforated with small holes 34 around its periphery. A shaft 3 (the axis of the shaft 3 constitutes the said first axis) is rotatably mounted in the base 7 so as to be coaxial with it and projects through it. The shaft 3 carries on the upper side of the base 7 (as seen in FIGURES l and 2), a pointer 4 which has a hole 45 into which a handle 5 is fitted. The handle 5 may be used to rotate the pointer 4 and the shaft 3. The pointer 4 cooperates with the lines 32 and the markings 33 which indicate the angular position of the pointer 4. A friction washer 31 lies between the pointer 4 and the base 7 and ensures that the pointer remains in any position into which it is manually set. A gear wheel 6 is attached to the under surface of the base 7 so as to be coaxial with it and encircle the shaft 3. A plate 8 (constituting said first member) is rigidly attached to the lower end of shaft 3 so that it lies parallel to the base 7. A short slot 36 is cut out of the edge of the plate 8 and is positioned so that it may be seen through the holes 34 in suitable angular positions of the plate 8. A shaft 9 (the axis of the shaft 9 constitutes the said second axis) is rotatably mounted in the plate 8 so that it lies parallel to the shaft 3 and projects on either side of the plate 8. A gear wheel 10 is carried on to the upper end of the shaft 9 and engages the gear wheel 6. A gear wheel 11 is rigidly fixed to the under surface of plate 8 so that it encircles and is coaxial with the shaft 9. A member 12 is rigidly fixed to the lower end of the shaf 9 so that it lies parallel to the plate 8. The member 12 is generally fiat but is shaped at one end with a tab 35 which is painted red and is positioned so that in one angular position of the member 12, it is in line with the slot 36. When the member 12 is in this position the slot 36 and the tab 35 may be seen through one of the holes 34. The member 12 is also turned down at one side to form an arcuate member 37 which is serrated (shown at 17) and has a narrow slit 38.

A shaft 13 is rotatably mounted in the member 12 so that it lies parallel to the shafts 3 and 9 and carries at its upper end a gear wheel 14 which engages to the gear wheel 11. A gear wheel 15 is carried by the shaft 13 and lies parallel to the member 12. A plate 16 is rotatably mounted on the lower end of the shaft 13 (the plates 12 and 16 together constitute the said second member). The plate 16 which is generally triangular in shape has a projecting part 39 which passes through the slit 38 and terminates in a tab 40, and has a small slot 42. A shaft 19 is rotatably mounted in the plate 16 so that it projects on either side of it and lies parallel to the shafts 3, 9 and 13. A gear wheel 31) is carried on the upper end of the shaft 19 and engages the gear wheel 15. A shaft 41 is rigidly fixed to the plate 16 so that it projects below it and lies parallel to the shafts'3, 9, 13 and 19. A plate 43 is fitted around the shafts 19 and 41 and has a projecting spring finger 18 which engages the serrations 17 and is disposed in line with the tab 4%. The plate 43 has a tab 44 (seen in FIGURE 1) which fits into the slot 42. The ends of the shafts 19 and 41 are cylindrical and are identical. A spring member 21 may be fitted over the ends of either shaft 19 or 41 (in the drawings it is shown fitted over the shaft 19) and has an arm 22 which is approximately parallel to the plate 16; A metal coneshaped stylus 23 is carried at one end of an arm 24, the other end of which is shaped so that it may be attached to the arm 22 with the stylus 23 pointing downwards engaging the surface on which member 1 is situated. The shaft 19 constitutes the said third member and its axis the said third axis. The gear wheels 6 and 10 constitute the said first driving means and the gear wheels 11, 14, and and the shaft 13v constitute the said second driving means.

The gear wheel 6 has forty eight teeth and the gear wheel 10 has forty six teeth so that for each complete revolution of the shaft 3 and the plate 8, the gear wheel 10 and the shaft 9 are rotated through one and one twenty third of a revolution.

The gear wheels 11 and 15 both have thirty six teeth and the gear wheels 14 and 30 both have eighteen teeth so that for each complete revolution of shaft 9 shaft 13 carries out two complete revolutions and the shaft 19 carr-ies out four complete revolutions.

The tab 49 may be moved together with the finger 18 to vary the displacements of the shafts 19 and 41 from the shaft 9. The engagement of the gears with each other is not affected by the movement of the finger 18. The finger IS'co-operates with the serrations 17 to prevent movement of the finger from the position to which it is manually set.

The displacement of the stylus 23 from the member 21 1 may be altered by sliding the arm 24 along the arm 23.

In use a sheet of paper is placed on a plane surface and a sheet of carbon paper is placed above it with the active face downwards and the instrument is placed on the carbon paper so that the stylus 23 engages the upper surface of the carbon paper. The arrangement is such that the pressure of the stylus 23 on the carbon causes an impression to be made on the paper below. The shaft 3 and the plate 8 are rotated using the handle 5 (holding member 1 stationary) so that the shaft 9 is rotated through the action of the gear wheels 6 and 10. The shaft 9 rotates through a fraction more than one complete revolution for each complete revolution of the shaft 1 3 as has been explained. As the shaft 9 rotates the shafts 13 and 19 rotate and as has been explained the shaft 13 rotates through two complete revolutions and the shaft 19 through four complete revolutions for each complete revolution of the shaft9. The shafts 9 and 13 rotate in the same direction as the shaft 3 but the shaft 19 rotates in the opposite direction. Points on theplate 12 which are displaced from the axis of the shaft 9 carry out an epicycloidal movement as the shaft 3 is rotated. The

' placed through a slight angle about the axis of the shaft 3. The pattern does not attain its original position until the shaft 3 has carried out twenty three complete revolutions due to the numbers of teeth on thegear' wheels 6 and 10. The pattern may be changed byvchanging the setting of the arm 24 in relation to the arm 22 and also by varying the setting of the member 16 in relation to the plate 12by means of the finger 18.

In analternative mode of use the .member 2 1 is fitted on to theshaft 41 so that the stylus 23. carries out, tl1e 4 basic epicycloidal movement of the member 16. A relatively simple pattern is then produced.-

In a modification the end of the shaft '13 is shaped so that the member 21 may be fitted on to it. The shaft 13 constitutes the said fourth member, its axis the'said fourth axis and the gear wheels 11 and 14 the said third driving means. 7

While there have been described above what are presently believed to be the preferred forms of the invention, variations thereof will be obvious to those skilled in the art and all such changes and variations which fall within the spirit of the invention are intended to be covered by the generic terms in the appended claims, which are variably worded to that end.

I claim:

1. A drawing instrument for drawing decorative patterns comprising a generally cupshaped supporting meniher having a first rim portion adapted to be held against a plane surface on which a decorative pattern is to be drawn and a second hollow portion which is spaced away from the surface when vthe first rim portion is held against the surface; said second hollow portion defining a central aperture; a first shaft which passes through said apertuie; a handle for rotating said first shaft; 2. plate rigidly attached to the first shaft and disposed in said second hollow portion normal to said first shaft; a first spur gear mounted rotatably on the first shaft, rigidly fixed to said second hollow portion, and disposed betweensaid second hollow portion and said plate; a second shaft carried by the plate with its axis parallel to the'axis of the first shaft; a second spur gear which is carried by the second shaft and is in mesh with the first spur gear; a second member rigidly mounted on the second shaft for rotation about its axis, a third shaft mounted on said second member for rotation" about its own axis which is parallel to the axes of the first and second shafts, spur gear means which cause'the third shaft to rotate about its axis when said second member is rotated, and a drawing implement carried by the third shaft and adapted to engage said plane surface away from the axis of thethird shaft.

2. A drawing instrument for drawing decorative patterns comprising a supporting member marked on one side with markings and defining therein a central hole and adapted to be held against a plane surface on which a decorative pattern is to be drawn, a first shaft which passes through the hole, a combined pointer and handle for rotating the first shaft and disposed on the side of the supporting member which is'marked to permit variable alignment of said point with the markings as said first shaft is rotated, a first plate rigidly attached to the first shaft and disposed on the side of the supporting member which is not marked, a second platedisposed in' a plane paralled to that of the first plate and mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to but spaced from the axis of the first shaft, a second shaft carried by the second plate for rotation about its own axis Whichis parallel to but displaced from the axis of rotation of said second plate,

a third plate carried by the second shaft and disposed in plane parallel to those of the first and second'plates, the angular position of the third plate about the axis of the second shaft being adjustable between first and second extreme angular positions, a third shaft carried by the third plate for rotation about its own axis which is parallel to but displaced from'the axis ofthe second shaft,

first spur gear means which cause the second plate to rotate about its axis of rotation when the handle and the first plate are rotated aboutthe axis of the first shaft,

. second spur gear means which cause the second shaft to rotate about its axis when the second plate is rotated about its axis of rotation, third spur gear means which cause the third shaft to rotate about its axis when the second shaft is rotated about its" axis, and a drawing implenient which is'carried by the third shaft and'eng'ages the surface at a point distant from the. axis of the third shaft comprises an arm carried by the third shaft and which slidably carries the drawing implement.

5. A drawing instrument as claimed in claim 2 which comprises a fourth shaft rigidly fixed to the third plate which is constructed to carry the drawing implement.

6. A drawing instrument as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second shaft is constructed to carry the drawing implement.

7. A drawing instrument for drawing decorative patterns comprising a supporting member adapted to be held in a fixed position on a plane surface on which a decorative pattern is to be drawn, a plate mounted on the supporting member so as to be manually rotatable about a first axis which is fixed in relation to the supporting member and perpendicular to said plane surface, a second member mounted on the plate for rotation about a sec- 1 0nd axis displaced from but parallel to the first axis and fixed in relation to the plate, a shaft mounted on the second member for rotation about a third axis displaced from but parallel to the second axis and fixed in relation to the second member, first spur gear means causing said second member to rotate about the second axis as said plate is rotated, second spur gear means causing said shaft to rotate about said third axis as said second memher is rotated, and a drawing implement which is carried by the shaft and engages the surface away from said third axis when the supporting member engages the surface, as the plate, member and shaft rotate about their respectives axes.

8. A drawing instrument as claimed in claim 7 wherein the implement is a stylus adapted to engage a sheet of carbon paper placed between the instrument and the surface so that its active face engages the surface, movement of the stylus being recorded thereby on the surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,420,319 6/22 Kelley 33-27 ISAAC LISANN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DRAWING INSTRUMENT FOR DRAWING DECORATIVE PATTERNS COMPRISING A SUPPORTING MEMBER MARKED ON ONE SIDE WITH MARKINGS AND DEFINING THEREING A CENTRAL HOLE AND ADAPTED TO BE HELD AGAINST A PLANE SURFACE ON WHICH A DECORATIVE PATTERN IS TO BE DRAWN, A FIRST SHAFT WHICH PASSES THROUGH THE HOLE, A COMBINED POINTER AND HANDLE FOR ROTATING THE FIRST SHAFT AND DISPOSED ON THE SIDE OF THE SUPPORTING MEMBER WHICH IS MARKED TO PERMIT VARIABLE ALIGNMENT OF SAID POINT WITH THE MARKINGS AS SAID FIRST SHAFT IS ROTATED, A FIRST PLATE RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO THE FIRST SHAFT AND DISPOSED ON THE SIDE OF THE SUPPORTING MEMBER WHICH IS NOT MARKED, A SECOND PLATE DISPOSED IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO THAT OF THE FIRST PLATE AND MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO BUT SPACED FROM THE AXIS OF THE FIRST SHAFT, A SECOND SHAFT CARRIED BY SAID SECOND PLATE FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS OWN AXIS WHICH IS PARALLEL TO BUT DISPLACED FROM THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID SECOND PLATE, A THIRD PLATE CARRIED BY SAID SECOND SHAFT AND DISPOSED IN PLANE PARALLEL TO THOSE OF THE FIRST AND SECOND PLATES, THE ANGULAR POSITION OF THE THIRD PLATE ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE SECOND SHAFT BEING ADJUSTABLE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND EXTREME ANGULAR POSITIONS, A THIRD SHAFT CARRIED BY THE THIRD PLATE FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS OWN AXIS WHICH IS PARALLEL TO BUT DISPLACED FROM THE AXIS OF THE SECOND SHAFT, FIRST SPUR GEAR MEANS WHICH CAUSE THE SECOND PLATE TO ROTATE ABOUT ITS AXIS OF ROTATION WHEN THE HANDLE AND THE FIRST PLATE ARE ROTATED ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE FIRST SHAFT, SECOND SPUR GEAR MEANS WHICH CAUSE THE SECOND SHAFT TO ROTATE ABOUT ITS AXIS WHEN THE SECOND PLATE IS ROTATED ABOUT ITS AXIS OF ROTATION, THIRD SPUR GEAR MEANS WHICH CAUSE THE THIRD SHAFT TO ROTATE ABOUT ITS AXIS WHEN THE SECONE SHAFT IS ROTATED ABOUT ITS AXIS, AND A DRAWING IMPLEMENT WHICH IS CARRIED BY THE THIRD SHAFT AND ENGAGES THE SURFACE AT A POINT DISTANT FROM THE AXIS OF THE THIRD SHAFT WHEN THE SUPPORTING MEMBER IS HELD AGAINST THE SURFACE. 